IMMUNOLOGICAL RECOGNITION OF FIBRONECTIN-BINDING PROTEINS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS-CAPITIS, STRAIN LK499

Antibodies to fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) of Staphylococcus a ureus, including binding domain of FnBPA, the D region, or the A-C reg ions of FnBPB were produced in rabbits and mice. These antibodies were used to characterize cell-associated FnBPs of S. aureus strain Cowan I, S. aureus strain U320 and a coagulase-negative Staphylococcus capit is strain LK499 as well as extracellular FnBPs in culture supernatants of the strain U320. FnBPs of S. aureus were predominantly FnBPA, whil e FnBPB was hardly detected on the cells or in culture supernatant of these S. aureus strains. Moreover, S. capitis strain LK499 possessed d ifferent FnBP(s) compared to S. aureus because the antibodies to S. au reus FnBPs did not recognize FnBP(s) on S. capitis.